


First - Second - Third?

by UlternateFreak



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Awkward Tension, Awkwardness, Boys Being Boys, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:53:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21913219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UlternateFreak/pseuds/UlternateFreak
Summary: "You wanted to?"Ricky nodded. "Yeah - only because I felt some sort of way. Maybe not right away, but-""Right," EJ agreed, "yeah, I get that... - I did too."
Relationships: E.J. Caswell/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/E.J. Caswell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 119





	First - Second - Third?

**Author's Note:**

> This series is both a blessing and curse for me. I love the setup - but I grow weary of the direction the story may take. Hopefully, the writers are wise to craft something of interest that doesn't derail such a great start to my new guilty pleasure.
> 
> Anyway, here is a brief slash fic because I had to - 'cause, well - just look at them!'
> 
> (And yes - to note, I do believe that EJ Caswell has a right to be good - because I do believe him capable of being good, and not as I've seen some claim him to be).
> 
> (Also - also - I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I kinda wrote this in a fluke).

The very first time hadn't been romantic - nor fueled with passions of longing concealed by thin doubts and compensated lies.

Ricky had simply craned over - the bottle having been spun by his own accord - meeting EJ, who sat across from him - amidst, really, only a handful of coos, and expected laughter from their fellow cast members.

Simple - lips barely a whisper - before being parted in thunderous applause-

  
"Next-!"

  
No one had voiced any true recognition to the act - the two at hand hadn't even given it a second thought before the rounds of well meaning catcalls had moved on to the next targets.

A game.

A spin.

EJ's next meeting - Gina, who had fluttered her eyes if only to entertain the drunken horde about them.

Really, it was sort of childish - though in fashion from what was beginning to become expected from the likes of their ranks. Most - notably - hadn't ever been to a party, and had -in fact - missed out in the cliches, and so reveled in the chance to partake within the given opportunities.

...

  
The following day - with the night of the cast party now hours forgotten - was normal and without discourse.  
EJ had still given his arm to Nini, and Ricky had walked alongside them - not terribly at ease, but neither offended by the newly established dynamic between them.

Simple - and really as a means to deal with the jitters of the upcoming musical - now only three weeks away.

  
"I think I may throw up," Nini said with a small smile - the corners of her mouth reaching only mid-way up her face, "I tried on the Gabriela dress this morning, and I swear - I tasted pizza from the night before-"

"Don't-" Ricky said, "really - you'll be fine - you are fine."

"That's sweet," Nini said, "but I honestly think that I still have Carlos's mystery punch in my stomach."

...

If the two boys had happened to glance at each other that morning, it was only to nod an acknowledgement of what had already been there.

That being a simple comradeship, placed from within the niche circle of friends - past grudges just as nearly forgotten as the bottle - and the aforementioned kiss.

  
A day later, however, Ricky had thought back to that night - mainly upon the means of recounting a story to Big Red pertaining to Carlos, and a very particular fridge in the second kitchen of said boy's household.

Upon recounting - lost somewhere between the ripping of Gina's silk blouse, and Carlos's drunken dare - Ricky had come to a pause - his mind drifting on it's own accord to that game - and, consequently, EJ Caswell.

The whisper.

He frowned, giving into the thought - but understanding very little of it in truth.

He had kissed quite a number of people that night after all - Seb and Gina - actually - being the most memorable, with the latter having been perhaps more than a mere kiss. Yet when he thought back to EJ - chapped and rough lips awkwardly pressed against his own for the fleetest of moments - masked in some fruity wine coolers - some distant bell seemed to ring out. And all at once, he was seated again, ass upon harsh flooring - with four and a half beers cooling in his system.

He could very well see the other - the bottle having stopped to face him after taking several rounds about the room.

And then came the smile, nearly shy - possibly gifted only due to the round of jests offered from the handful of friends about them.

"Yes," Gina had offered against the laughter, "pucker up boys-"

"Anyway," Ricky began again - returning to the day at hand, and by association - to Big Red, "Nini filmed the whole thing-"

...

A week after that, being not exact by day but quite close in hour, EJ had drifted to that particular night in question himself. Recounted this time by the sight of a familiar looking bottle - this one being shelved for purchase, and not as a tool for a mindless 'parlor' game.

Still, as Ricky before, he found himself reminiscing back to that night - braced between Ashlyn and Kourtney - the neck of the bottle coming to a full halt before him.

He had sighed, giving into a nervous smile - and had glanced up to see the curly-haired - lightweight - rocking from side to side, amidst a childish fit of giggles.

"Pucker up boys-"

Vividly, he recalled the finger gesture offered by Ricky to Gina - but, evidently, was more preoccupied by the way in which said boy had scooted inward, palms assisting in lifting his ass off flooring. And really - EJ hadn't ever given it much thought before that night - probably an aftereffect of too many strawberry Smirnoffs - but Ricky Bowen, in fact, had quite a nice ass - for a boy, that is - or rather - anyone for that matter - than he had a right to. 

Sauntered would have been the best word to describe his own forward motion after such a sight - and thought - at least, that's how Ashlyn had described it to him well into the morning following.

Well, that and Carlos's poor floral patterned vase-

  
"EJ-?"

  
The boy turned about - nearly sending his books, neatly tucked beneath the folds of his arms, to the ground - and with them, his very much needed bottle of Coke.

"Are you even listening?"

He nodded to Ashlyn, who simply shrugged and withdrew a pencil from behind her ear, still mumbling off about having forgotten her scene directions - asking, really, if he recalled where he had entered and stood for the duration of their last scene in Act 1.

  
"I remember I was across from you," she said, reaching out for an Arizona can, "you're still buying, right?"

"Yes," Ej nodded.

"At least 'that', you remember."

...

"Can't I just keep my real hair?"

Kourtney looked to Ricky as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head - which could be a neat trick - at least, in his own particular opinion should he have been asked such a question.

Then again what would he really do with a second head that he wasn't already failing to do with his singular one?

  
"And look like a cabbage patch kid?" She asked, reaching back for her hair straightener. "No. God, no. Zefron had the bangs. You need to rock the ba-bangs-!"

"Sides, we settled the look weeks ago. As in, your input is late. So sit."

'Weeks ago', Ricky repeated in thought - nodding off, and turning to regard himself in the large mirror propped just to the left of them. He looked quite nice - truth be told, with a signature green sports jacket, tossed over a deep blue tee. And yet - well, the hair wasn't exactly layering down correctly - nor was it doing anything to accentuate his face.

  
"We may need to consider a wig. Your hive just ain't dying."

...

EJ turned away from Gina, Miss Jenn already caught between Carlos and the script - really, now talking among themselves, and ignoring the pair still awkwardly standing and awaiting further direction.

Gina, ever the achiever, bowed out and took to the floor after a minute of staring - and simply began to stretch every limb feasibly imaginable, reciting her lines as any rightful 'Taylor McKessie' would do.

"Hey-" Ej began after a minute or so of his own staring.

"What?"

"Do you remember the cast party-?"

"What part?" She asked, already diving into a locked position, "when you threw up? When I threw up - or when you and Ricky threw up - followed by a reprisal from yours truly?"

"That was nasty-"

"At least I had the sense to use the toilet," she smirked, "unlike the two of you - really, sharing a vase is nasty. And you throwing up on each other is even-"

"I wasn't really talking about that," Ej interrupted, his face easily scorned by a deep and harsh crimson blush.

"Oh? Then was it the spooning-?"

"No," he said.

"Awe. Too bad," she laughed, "It was awfully cute-"

"It got cold-"

"Nini was right there-"

"She had the blanket."

"She hogged the blanket," he corrected.

"Right," Gina began again, "still. You do know that Big Red has the photo still, right? It's gonna need to be framed-"

"Yeah - right," EJ nodded, "forget it-"

"No - no, sorry. Really. I was kidding. What were you-?"

"Alright," Miss Jenn said aloud - clasping her hands together. "Let's take it back to the transition. Come on, people - hussle-! Get your head in the game-"

...

The second time hadn't been romantic - nor properly rehearsed in reason, or executed beyond mere impulse and curiosity.

  
EJ had simply teetered over, fists balled into a sweaty mess, and had kissed Ricky awkwardly and harsh between Act 1 Scene 9 of opening night - teeth only vaguely knocking for a moment, before being pulled apart in a rushed and frantic realization.

In truth, the need to do such a thing had surfaced significantly since the start of 'What I've Been Looking For (Reprise)'.

  
"I have to get changed," Ricky simply said in quick succession to their parting, eyes rounding out comically - but nowhere close to actively looking away.

In fact, he was outright staring - and-

"Yeah," EJ said in toll, "right - I need my basketball."

He thanked his stupidity for choosing the correct moment to give in to - with Nini and a few others passing only seconds after the kiss. Though, truthfully - he knew - he shouldn't have been praising said stupidity for acting in the first place. And yet - well, of course - he did. And he would. Always.

...

The following day - opening night not even close to being forgotten - and nerves still working upward to their second show - was awkward and-

  
"Awkward," EJ said, head casted down into the palms of his hands. "He couldn't even look me in the eyes once our scene started. And 'We're All in this Together was so-"

"Well, what did you expect?" Ashlyn asked. "You plant him a smooch, even though you're dating Nini-"

"But I'm not-"

"Exactly," she said, "WAIT - what? Did you guys break up again?"

"Yes-"

"Oh, EJ-"

"No. It was mutual," he sighed. "Honest. It's all good."

"Oh."

"Yeah - oh," he said, "I mean - at first it wasn't...but it was coming, and - well, we didn't say anything because we're trying to keep the drama down. For everyone's sake."

"About time."

"Are you gonna give me advice here or not?"

"I'm not your guidance counselor," she teased - feigning a much needed frown. "In fact, I'm sure I'm obligated - as your cousin - to make fun of you and your shaky decisions."

"But you won't," EJ said, "because you love me."

"Do I?"

"Ashlyn-!"

...

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Ricky asked, looking up from the massive mirror of the dressing room - napkins in hand.

"I'm sorry," EJ repeated. "I shouldn't have...it wasn't-" He stopped, making a direct eye-line to the roll of paper towels draped about the counter, "that's the wrong kind of wipe-"

"What-?"

EJ frowned - and took to his own bag without further thought - which was hastily tossed in the corner of the dressing room - and opened a small pocket.

"You're supposed to use the removal wipes - else your skin is gonna get crazy, man."

"Oh, thanks," Ricky said, "this is all still kinda new...and - yeah-" He awkwardly took hold of the offered wipes, and began running them down his face.

"No," EJ said, sighing in the same fashion as if speaking to a child, "here-" he took hold of the wipe, and gently brought it to the other boy's face - lapping a light, but sturdy, touch.

"Gentle, Ricky. Really. You're gonna fuck up your skin and Kourtney will murder you."

...

"It's okay by the way."

"What you said - did," Ricky said after a moment - still situated between the mirror and Ej's arms.

"Its really not." EJ said as he brought his arm back to his side.

"It really is."

"I'm kinda relieved that you did - actually. 'Cause I wouldn't have..."

"You wanted to?"

Ricky nodded. "Yeah - only because I felt some sort of way. Maybe not right away, but-"

"Right," EJ agreed, "yeah, I get that... - I did too."

"Maybe you could have just asked," Ricky than said with a small smile, "I could have mentally prepared, or had my mouth closed."

"It was mostly teeth," EJ agreed with a quirk of his lips.

...

The third time it had happened - this being a month after the first, though only a handful of days after opening night, had been romantic. If only in slights and due to mutual want - driven only by the vaguest of passions.

Ricky - this time being in the lead - had pulled up alongside EJ, the applause still dying down from closing nights bows.

"Hey-"

"What-?"

Whatever the question - had there been one at all - was silenced by the swift tug given to his shoulders, and the direct alignment of bees waxed lip balm against cherry flavored ones, with Ej - just as that night - naturally being of the sweeter variant.

"Thought we agreed to ask?" EJ said just as the curtain came to a close before them.

"I never got to steal one," Ricky shrugged with a smirk. " So, it's only fair."

"Right," he nodded.


End file.
